Payment cards and devices with displays, chips, RFIDs, magnetic emulators, magnetic encoders, and other components

ABSTRACT

A payment card (e.g., credit and/or debit card) or other card or device (e.g., mobile telephone) is provided with a magnetic emulator operable to communicate data to a magnetic stripe read-head. User interfaces are provided in a number of different configurations in order to achieve a number of different functionalities.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/055,676, filed on Feb. 29, 2016, which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/763,833, filed on Feb. 11, 2013, which isa continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/339,082, filed onDec. 19, 2008 and issued on Apr. 9, 2013 as U.S. Pat. No. 8,413,892,which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Nos.61/016,491 filed on Dec. 24, 2007, 61/026,846 filed on Feb. 7, 2008,61/027,807 filed on Feb. 11, 2008, 61/081,003 filed on Jul. 15, 2008,61/086,239 filed on Aug. 5, 2008, 61/090,423 filed on Aug. 20, 2008,61/097,401 filed Sep. 16, 2008, 61/112,766 filed on Nov. 9, 2008,61/117,186 filed on Nov. 23, 2008, 61/119,366 filed on Dec. 2, 2008, and61/120,813 filed on Dec. 8, 2008, all of which are hereby incorporatedby reference herein in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to magnetic cards and payment systems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A card is provided, such as a credit card or security card, that maytransmit information to a magnetic stripe reader via a magneticemulator. The magnetic emulator may be, for example, a circuit thatemits electromagnetic fields operable to electrically couple with aread-head of a magnetic stripe reader such that data may be transmittedfrom the circuit to the magnetic stripe reader. The emulator may beoperated serially such that information is transmitted serially to amagnetic stripe reader. Alternatively, for example, portions of amagnetic emulator may emit different electromagnetic fields at aparticular instance such that the emulator is operated to providephysically parallel, instantaneous data. Alternatively still, a magneticmedium may be provided and a circuit may be provided to change themagnetic properties of the magnetic medium such that a magnetic stripereader is operable to read information written on the magnetic medium.

A processor may be provided on a card, or other device, that controls amagnetic emulator. The processor may be configured to operate theemulator such that the emulator transmits serial or parallelinformation. Particularly, the processor may decouple portions of anemulator from one another such that different portions of the emulatormay transmit different information (e.g., transmit data in a paralleloperation). The processor may couple portions of an emulator together(or drive the portions together) such that all portions of the emulatortransmits the same information (e.g., transmit data in a serialoperation). Alternatively, the processor may drive a portion of theemulator to transmit data using one method (e.g., serially) while theprocessor drives another portion of the emulator using a differentmethod (e.g., in parallel).

The processor may drive an emulator through a switching circuit. Theswitching circuit may control the direction and magnitude of currentthat flows through at least a portion of an emulator such that theswitching circuit controls the direction and magnitude of theelectromagnetic field created by at least that portion of the emulator.An electromagnetic field may be generated by the emulator such that theemulator is operable to electrically couple with a read-head from amagnetic stripe reader without making physical contact with theread-head. Particularly, for example, an emulator that is driven withincreased current can be operable to couple with the read-head of amagnetic stripe reader even when placed outside and within the proximityof (e.g., 0.25 inches or more) the read-head.

A processor may detect, for example, the presence of a read-head of amagnetic stripe reader by receiving signals from a magnetic stripereader detector and, in response, the processor may drive a magneticemulator in a manner that allows the emulator to couple with themagnetic stripe reader. More than one emulator may be provided on a cardor other device and a processor may drive such emulators in a variety ofdifferent manners.

A circuit may be provided on a credit card that is operable to receivedata from a device, such as a magnetic stripe. In this manner, a card,or other device, may communicate bi-directionally with a device.

An emulator may communicate with a magnetic stripe reader outside of,for example, the housing of a magnetic stripe reader. Accordingly, forexample, the emulator may be provided in devices other than cards sizedto fit inside of the reading area of a magnetic stripe reader. In otherwords, for example, the emulator may be located in a device that isthicker than a card—yet the emulator can still communicate with one ormore read-heads located in a magnetic stripe reader. Such a device maybe, for example, a security token, a wireless communications device, alaptop, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a physical lock key to ahouse and/or car, or any other device.

Dynamic information may be provided by a processor located on the card,or other device, and communicated through a magnetic emulator. Suchdynamic information may, for example, change based on time. For example,the dynamic information may be periodically encrypted differently. Oneor more displays may be located on a card, or other device, such thatthe dynamic information may be displayed to a user through the display.Buttons may be provided to accept input from a user to, for example,control the operation of the card or other device.

Dynamic information may include, for example, a dynamic number that isused as, or part of, a number for a credit card number, debit cardnumber, payment card number, and/or payment verification code. Dynamicinformation may also include, for example, a student identificationnumber or medical identification number. Dynamic information may also,for example, include alphanumeric information such that a dynamicaccount name is provided.

Read-head detectors may be provided to determine, for example, when acard is being swiped and/or when a read-head is located over aparticular portion of a card (e.g., a magnetic emulation circuit). Amagnetic emulation circuit may be provided as, for example, a coil.Portions of such a coil may be utilized to detect a read-head while inother portions of the coil may be utilized to communicate informationelectromagnetically to a read-head. Accordingly, a coil may be utilizedto detect a read-head and, after a read-head is detected, the coil maybe utilized to, for example, serially transmit information to a magneticstripe reader.

A read-head detector, or an array of read-head detectors, may be ableto, for example, determine the type of reader that the card enteredinto. For example, a read-head detector array may determine, forexample, when a motorized reader was utilized, an insertion reader wasutilized, or a user-swipe reader was utilized. Such information may bestored and communicated to a remote storage device (e.g., a remotedatabase). This stored information may be utilized to combat, forexample, card cloning. For example, if a particular number of cards(e.g., 10 more) that made consecutive purchases from a machine (e.g., anATM) detected more than one reader, then, for example, the system maymake an autonomous determination that an illegal cloning device waslocated on front of that ATM machine. If, for example, multiple cardsuse a restaurant point-of-sale terminal and determine that multiplereaders were used then, for example, a computer can make an autonomousdetermination that cloning may have occurred at the restaurant.

A material may be sandwiched between the two layers to assist inreducing the effect of the electromagnetic fields from one set of coilsegments on the side of the material opposite that set of coil segments.Such an interior material may be insulated such that the material doesnot short the coil segments. Additionally, such an interior material maybe chosen, for example, such that the material does not saturate whenthe coil is conducting current. The coil and material may run, forexample, along the location of a track of magnetic data for a paymentcard. Accordingly, a coil may be fabricated so that the coil wrapsaround an interior material.

A material may be placed and/or printed on a PCB layer and sandwichedbetween two other PCB layers. These two other layers may each includecoil segments and vias. The middle layer may also include vias such thatthe material is fabricated to be located in the center of the coil. Thematerial may take a cylindrical, rectangular, square, or any type ofshape. Four layers may also be utilized, where the coil segments areprinted on a surface of the exterior layers and one or more materialsare printed and/or placed on/between the interior layers. A material maybe a magnetic material, ferromagnetic material, ferrimagnetic material,or any type of material. For example, copper may be printed on a PCBlayer and plated with a material (e.g., nickel, iron, chrome, tin, gold,platinum, cobalt, zinc, alloys). A material, for example, may have arelative permeability multiple times greater than the permeability of avacuum. A material, for example, may have a relative permeability of 2to 25,000. A material may include, for example, a permalloy, iron,steel, ferrite, nickel or any other material. A material may be an alloysuch as a nickel-iron alloy. Such a nickel-iron alloy may include, forexample, nickel (e.g., 75-85%), iron, copper, molybdenum and may beplaced through one or more annealing processes. Annealing may occurbefore and/or after the material is placed/printed on a layer ofmaterial (e.g., a PCB layer or other layer). A similar and/or differentmaterial may be placed either above and/or below a portion, or theentire, set of paths on a layer for a coil. Accordingly, for example, amaterial may be placed in the interior of a coil as well as along a sideof the coil.

Displays may be provided near user interfaces or other structures. Forexample, a display may be provided next to an LED. Cards may beprogrammed during manufacturing so that these displays may displayparticular information. Accordingly, for example, the same cardarchitecture may be utilized to provide a number of different types ofcards. A user may utilize user interfaces (e.g., mechanical orcapacitive interfaces) to change the function of the display. Forexample, codes may be entered to reconfigure the displays.Alternatively, for example, a user may utilize buttons to selectinformation to be displayed on displays associated with user interfaces.A code may associate a name of a store with a button and/or a dollaramount. For example, a display may be configured to read “Target $50.”Information may be entered manually, but also may be received by a card.For example, a user may swipe a card a second time through a magneticstripe reader and receive information via a magnetic emulator. Thisreceived information may be utilized to update information on the card(e.g., the balance of a gift card, credit account, and/or debitaccount). Information may also be received by an RFID antenna and/or ICchip located on a card and in communication with a central processor (ordistributed processors). For example, transaction information (e.g.,list of past transactions, stores where transactions occurred, amountsof transactions) and account information (e.g., balance information,bill information, amount due information) may be communicated to thecard and displayed on one or more displays.

A dynamic card may be manufactured in a variety of ways. For example, adynamic card may be printed onto a flexible material (e.g., a flexiblepolymer). Multiple layers of this material may be bonded together toform a multiple layer flexible structure. This multiple layer structuremay be laminated (e.g., via hot, warm and/or cold lamination) to form acard. The card may be programmed before or after lamination. A card maybe programmed via a direct connection between a programmer and one ormore contacts on a card. A card may be programmed via a capacitive,optical, or inductive communication via a communication link between aprogrammer and one or more components (e.g., a contact) on a card.Accordingly, for example, a card may be laminated and capacitively,optically, or inductively programmed. After programming, a processor onthe card may be signaled to burn-out its programming communicationchannel(s) such that no further programming may occur. A portion of thecard may not be laminated. Accordingly, a programmer may connect to thisnon-laminated portion of the card. The non-laminated portion of the cardmay be laminated after programming. Alternatively, for example, thenon-laminated portion of the card may be cut after programming (e.g.,and after the processor burns-out its programming ports so the processorcannot be further programmed).

Additional external communication devices may be provided on a card. Forexample, a USB port or Wi-Fi antenna may be provided on a card. Suchadditional external communication devices may, for example, allow a userto communicate with stationary computer, laptop, or other device. Suchcommunication devices may, for example, be utilized to load gift cards,or other information (e.g., transactional or account information) from alaptop to a card or other device. A card is provided that includes alight sensor such that information can be communicated to a card vialight (e.g., via a light transmitted from a TV or website).

Components of card may be oriented in a number of ways in order toincrease the whimsical and festive nature of a card. Furthermore, theorientation of components may increase the functionality of a card. Forexample, buttons may be placed on the left-side of a card, butleft-handed and right-handed users may naturally operate such buttonsdifferently. Furthermore, buttons may be provided on the center of thecard in order to increase the operational similarity of the buttonsbetween left and right-handed users.

Numerous components may be placed on the front or back of a card orother device (e.g., a mobile telephonic device). For example, any numberof displays, user interfaces such as buttons, sources of light such asLEDs, vibrational devices, sources of audible signals, microphones,power generating devices, sources of electrical energy, RFID antennas,processors, IC chips, or magnetic communication devices (e.g., magneticemulators and encoders) may be provided on a card.

Indicia may be provided on the front and back of a card in order toincrease the whimsical and festive nature of the card. Such indicia mayalso increase the functionality of a card. For example, a button mayinclude a written letter (e.g., “A”) and multiple numbers (e.g., “0” and“1”). Accordingly, a user may be issued with a letter or numerical PINnumber and may utilize the same set of buttons regardless of whether theuser received a numerical PIN or a letter-based PIN. In doing so, forexample, a ten digit PIN may be represented by less than 10 buttons.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The principles and advantages of the present invention can be moreclearly understood from the following detailed description considered inconjunction with the following drawings, in which the same referencenumerals denote the same structural elements throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of cards constructed in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of cards constructed in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an illustration of cards constructed in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an illustration of a card and a reader constructed inaccordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an illustration of a card and a reader constructed inaccordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an illustration of a card and a payment process constructed inaccordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIGS. 7-49 are illustrations of cards constructed in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention; and

FIG. 50 is an illustrations of a card and a personal electronic deviceconstructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows card 100 that includes printed information 111 and 120,displays 112 and 113, and buttons 130-134. Card 100 may be, for example,a payment card such as a credit card, debit card, and/or gift card orother card (e.g., security access or identification card). Paymentinformation, such as a credit/debit card number may be provided asstatic information 111, dynamic information 112 and/or 113, or anycombination thereof.

For example, a particular number of digits of a credit card number(e.g., the last 3 digits) may be provided as dynamic information. Suchdynamic information may be changed periodically (e.g., once every hour).Information may be changed via, for example, encryption. Software may beprovided at, for example, the payment verification server that verifiesthe dynamic information for each period of time such that a payment canbe validated and processed for a particular user. A user may beidentified using, for example, static information that is used to form acredit card number or other static information (e.g., information 120).Additionally, identification information may be derived (e.g., embedded)in dynamic information. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate thata credit card number may have, for example, a length of 15 or 16 digits.A credit card number may also have a length of up to 19 digits. Averification code may be used with some payment systems and such averification code may be provided statically on the card or may beprovided as dynamic information. Such a verification code may beprovided on a second display located on, for example, the front or rearsurface of card 100. Alternatively, a verification code may be displayedon the same display as other dynamic information (e.g., dynamicinformation 112). A display may be, for example, a flexible electronicink display. Such a flexible electronic ink display may, for example,utilize power to change displayed information, but may not utilize powerto display information after the information is changed.

Card 150 may be provided. Card 150 may include static magnetic stripetracks 153 and 152. Magnetic emulator 151 may be included and may beoperable to electrically couple with a read-head of a magnetic stripereader. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a read-headhousing of a magnetic stripe reader may be provided with one, two, orthree active read-heads that are operable to each couple with a separatemagnetic track of information. A reader may also have more than oneread-head housing and each read-head housing may be provided with one,two, or three active read-heads that are operable to each couple with aseparate magnetic track of information. Such read-head housings may beprovided different surfaces of a magnetic stripe reader. For example,the read-head housings may be provided on opposite walls of a troughsized to accept payment cards. Accordingly, the devices on the oppositesides of the trough may be able to read a credit card regardless of thedirection that the credit card was swiped.

A magnetic emulator may be provided and may be positioned on card 150such that when card 150 is swiped through a credit card reader, themagnetic emulator passes underneath, or in the proximity of, a read-headfor a particular magnetic track. An emulator may be large enough tosimultaneously pass beneath, or in the proximity of, multipleread-heads. Information may be transmitted, for example, serially to oneor more read-heads. Information from different tracks of data may alsobe transmitted serially and the magnetic stripe reader may determine thedifferent data received by utilize the starting and/or ending sentinelsthat define the information for each track. A magnetic emulator may alsotransmit a string of leading and/or ending zeros such that a magneticreader may utilize such a string of zeros to provide self-clocking. Indoing so, for example, information may be transmitted serially at highspeeds to a magnetic stripe reader. For example, credit card informationmay be transmitted to a magnetic stripe reader at speeds up to, andgreater than, 30 kHz.

Different emulators may be provided, and positioned, on card 150 to eachcouple with a different read-head and each emulator may providedifferent track information to those different read-heads. Read-headdetectors may be utilized to detect when a read-head is over an emulatorsuch that an emulator is controlled by a processor to operate when aread-head detector detects the appropriate presence of a read-head. Indoing so, power may be saved. Additionally, the read-head detector maydetect how many read-heads are reading the card and, accordingly, onlycommunicate with the associated emulators. In doing so, additional powermay be conserved. Accordingly, an emulator may be utilized tocommunicate dynamic information to a magnetic stripe reader. Suchdynamic information may include, for example, dynamic payment cardinformation that changes based on time.

A static magnetic stripe may be provided to transmit data for one ormore tracks to a magnetic strip reader where dynamic information is notdesired. Card 150, for example, may include static magnetic track 153and static magnetic track 152. Information on static magnetic tracks 152and 153 may be encoded via a magnetic stripe encoder. Emulator 151 maybe included such that dynamic information may be communicated to amagnetic stripe reader, for example, without a magnetic stripe via anelectromagnetic signal transmitted directly from emulator 151 to aread-head of a magnetic stripe reader. Any combination of emulators andstatic magnetic tracks may be utilized for a card or device (e.g., twomagnetic emulators without any magnetic stripes).

One or more batteries, such as flexible lithium polymer batteries, maybe utilized to form card 100. Such batteries may be electrically coupledin a serial combination to provide a source of power to the variouscomponents of card 100. Alternatively, separate batteries may providepower to different components of card 100. For example, a battery mayprovide power to a processor and/or display of card 100, while anotherbattery provides a source of energy to one or more magnetic emulators ofcard 100. In doing so, for example, a processor may operate even afterthe battery that supplies power to an emulator completely discharges.Accordingly, the processor may provide information to another componentof card 100. For example, the processor may display information on adisplay to indicate to a user that the magnetic emulator is not longeroperational due to power exhaustion. Batteries may be, for example,rechargeable and contacts, or other devices, may be provided on card 100such that the battery may be recharged.

Buttons (e.g., buttons 130-134) may be provided on a card. Such buttonsmay allow a user to manually provide information to a card. For example,a user may be provided with a personal identification code (e.g., a PIN)and such a personal identification code may be required to be manuallyinputted into a card using the buttons in order for the card to operatein a particular manner. For example, the use of a magnetic emulator orthe use of a display may require a personal identification code.

By dynamically changing a portion of a user's credit card number, forexample, credit card fraud is minimized. By allowing the dynamicinformation to displayed visually to a user, and changed magnetically ona card, user behavior change is minimized (with respect to a credit cardwith completely static information). By requiring the use of a personalidentification code, the fraud associated with lost or stolen creditcards is minimized. Fraud associated with theft/loss is minimized asthird party users do not know the personal identification code needed tooperate particular aspects of a credit card with dynamic information.

FIG. 2 shows card 200. Card 200 may include, for example, staticmagnetic stripe track 203, static magnetic stripe track 201, andmagnetic emulator 202 sandwiched between read-head detectors 204 and205. A read-head detector may, for example, be provided as a circuitthat detects, for example, changes in capacitance or mechanical couplingto a conductive material. Processor 220 may be provided to, for example,receive information from read-head detectors 204 and 205 and controlemulator 202. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that processor220 may cause a current to flow through a coil of emulator 202 in adifferent direction to produce different electromagnetic fields. Thetransitions between the different electromagnetic fields may be sensedby a magnetic stripe reader as information. Accordingly, a magneticemulator may transmit data serially while a read-head is electricallycoupled with a magnetic reader.

RFID antenna 210 may be provided on card 200. Such an RFID antenna maybe operable to transmit information provided by processor 220. In doingso, for example, processor 220 may communicate with an RFID device usingRFID antenna 210 and may communicate with a magnetic stripe reader usingmagnetic emulator 202. Both RFID antenna 210 and magnetic emulator 202may be utilized to communicate payment card information (e.g., creditcard information) to a reader. Processor 240 may also be coupled todisplay 240 such that dynamic information can be displayed on display240. Button array 230 may also be coupled to processor 220 such that theoperation of card 200 may be controlled, at least in part, by manualinput received by button array 230. A smart-card chip may, for example,be included on card 200 in lieu of, or in addition to, RFID 210.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a static magnetic trackmay be a read-write track such that information may be written to amagnetic track from a magnetic stripe reader that includes a headoperable to magnetically encode data onto a magnetic track. Informationmay be written to a magnetic track as part of a payment process (e.g., acredit card or debit card transaction). Persons skilled in the art willappreciate that a static magnetic track may include a magnetic materialthat includes ferromagnetic materials that provide for flux-reversalssuch that a magnetic stripe reader can read the flux-reversals from thestatic magnetic track. Persons skilled in the art will also appreciatethat a magnetic emulator may communicate information that remains thesame from payment card transaction to payment card transaction (e.g.,static information) as well as information that changes betweentransactions (e.g., dynamic information).

A card may include magnetic emulators without, for example, including astatic magnetic track. Read-head detectors may also be provided. Personsskilled in the art will appreciate that a magnetic reader may includethe ability to read two tracks of information (e.g., may include atleast two read-heads). All of the information needed to perform afinancial transaction (e.g., a credit/debit card transaction) may beincluded on two magnetic tracks. Alternatively, all of the informationneeded to perform a financial transaction (e.g., a gift cardtransaction) may be included on one magnetic track. Accordingly,particular cards, or other devices, may include the ability, forexample, to only transmit data associated with the tracks that areneeded to complete a particular financial transaction. Persons skilledin the art will appreciate that for systems with three tracks ofinformation, the bottom two tracks may be utilized for credit cardinformation. Persons skilled in the art will also appreciate that asecure credit card transaction may be provided by only changing, forexample, one of two magnetic tracks utilized in a credit cardtransaction (for those transactions that utilize two tracks).Accordingly, one track may be a static magnetic track constructed from amagnetic material and the other track may be provided as a magneticemulator. Persons skilled in the art will also appreciate that numerousadditional fields of data may be provided on a magnetic track inaddition to a credit card number (or a security code). Dynamicinformation may be provided in such additional fields in order tocomplete a particular financial transaction. For example, suchadditional dynamic information may be numbers (or characters), encryptedwith time and synced to software, at a validating server, operable tovalidate the encrypted number for a particular period of time.

Card 250 includes emulator 251 that includes a coil operable tocommunicate data serially to a magnetic stripe reader. Similarly, forexample, emulator 251 may receive information for a magnetic stripeencoder. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a coil may runacross the length of a card such that a read-head moves along the lengthof the coil and can receive information transmitted serially from thecoil. The coil may extend into multiple tracks such that multipleread-heads receive information from the coil. Track information can besent serially (e.g., track 1 information followed by track 2information). Multiple coils may be driven separately and placed indifferent zones such that a single read-head moves from coil-to-coil(e.g., zone-to-zone) and power is conserves as only coils in aparticular zone (or zones) may be utilized to communicate informationany particular time. Separate coils may be utilized for separate tracks.Materials may be placed in the interior of each coil to assist withmanipulating the electromagnetic field produced by the coils. Materialmay be placed above or below a coil to further manipulate theelectromagnetic field produced by the coil. Switching circuitry 252 mayinclude, for example, one or more transistors that may be utilized tocontrol the direction of current via emulator 251 (e.g., the polarity ofvoltage(s) across a drive resistor). For example, a coil may be utilizedto transmit a string of information to a particular read-head. Differentcoils may transmit information at different speeds (or at the samespeed). Different coils may transmit different amounts of information.For example, three coils may be provided. The coil closest to the bottomof the long-end of a card may transmit at least 79 characters. The coilnext closest to the bottom of the long-end of a card may transmit atleast 40 characters of information. The coil next closest to the bottomof the long-end of the card may transmit at least 107 characters. One ormore coils may have different character sets (e.g., a 6-bit characterset or a 7-bit character set). The last bit in a character may include,for example, a parity bit. Additional synching information may betransmitted before and after the data information to assist withsynching a magnetic stripe reader. For example, a string of zeros may becommunicated before and after communicating primary data. Characters maybe included in the data information for other purposes such as an LRCcharacter.

FIG. 3 shows card 300 that may include a number of components. Card 300may include one or more processors 320. A processor may include, forexample, cache memory, RAM, and/or ROM. Additional memory may beprovided on card 300. For example, additional non-volatile, volatile,cache memory, RAM, and/or ROM may be provided on card 300. Battery 325may be provided on card 300. Battery 325 may be, for example, a lithiumpolymer battery and may have a thickness less than a millimeter (e.g.,approximately 0.5 mm). RFID antenna 315 may be provided on card 300 andmay communicate data to an RFID reader. Persons skilled in the art willappreciate that an RFID may be included that is a passive or activeRFID. IC chip 310 may be included on card 300 and may communicate datato an IC chip reader. Device 301 may be included to communicationinformation to a magnetic stripe reader. Device 301 may include anynumber of magnetic emulators, magnetic encoders that encode magneticstripes, and/or magnetic stripes. For example, device 301 may include amagnetic emulator for one track of magnetic data and a magnetic stripefor a second track of data. Alternatively, for example, device 301 mayinclude two emulators for separate tracks of data. An emulator may, forexample, communicate information to a read-head of a magnetic stripereader serially. One or more read-head detectors 302 may be provided todetect a read-head (or other attribute) of a magnetic stripe reader.Additional detectors may be included to detect, for example, when a cardis provided into an IC chip reader and/or an electromagnetic field froman RFID reader. Button array 330 may be provided, for example, toreceive input from a user. Button array 330 may include any number ofbuttons (e.g., 4, 5, 10, or more than 10). Button array 330 may include,for example, mechanical buttons, capacitive buttons, or any type of userinterface. One or more displays 340 may also be included. A display maybe, for example, an electronic ink display (e.g., electrochromicdisplay), LCD display, or any other type of display. Display 340 may beflexible.

Display 340 may be printed onto a layer during a printed fabricationprocess (e.g., PCB). Additionally, for example, battery 325 may beprinted onto a layer during a printed fabrication process (e.g., PCB).Similarly, a magnetic emulator may be printed onto a layer during aprinted fabrication process (e.g., PCB). Other components may be printedonto a layer during a printed fabrication process (e.g., PCB) such ascapacitive read-head detectors, and capacitive touch sensors.Accordingly, a display, battery, read-head detector, and button arraymay be printed on one or more layers that are bonded together andlaminated.

FIG. 3 shows card 350 that may include, for example, processor 353,switching circuitry 352, and emulator 351 having active region 354.Switching circuitry 352 may, for example, control the direction ofcurrent through emulator 351 in order to change the direction ofelectromagnetic fields generated by emulator 351 such that data may becommunicated serially to a magnetic stripe read-head. Persons skilled inthe art will appreciate that emulator 351 may be fabricated on a singlelayer and that region 354 may include coil segments dense enough togenerate an electromagnetic field that can be recognized by a read-headof a magnetic stripe reader.

FIG. 4 shows environment 400 that may include magnetic stripe reader410, read-head housing 440, card 420, and magnetic emulator 430.Read-head housing 440 may include any number of read-head's such as, forexample, one, two, or three read-heads. Each read-head may independentlyreceive magnetic fields from magnetic emulator 430 (or a magneticstripe, such as a magnetic stripe encoded on-card by card 420). Emulator430 may be positioned to be adjacent to any one or more read-heads ofread-head housing 440 or may be positioned to communicate information toany one or more read-heads of read-head housing 440. Persons skilled inthe art will appreciate that emulators with longer lengths may belocated within the proximity of one or more read-heads for a longerduration of time when a card is swiped. In doing so, for example, moreinformation may be transmitted from an emulator to a read-head when acard is being swiped.

FIG. 5 includes environment 500 that may include cards 520 and 530 aswell as magnetic stripe reader 510. Read-head housing 511 may beincluded on a wall of a trough of magnetic stripe reader 510. The troughmay be sized to accept cards (e.g., credit cards).

Card 520 may include emulator 521. Emulator 521 may provideelectromagnetic field 591 that may transmit through a portion of thehousing of magnetic stripe reader 510 (e.g., through a wall of a troughto get to read-head housing 511). Accordingly, card 520 may be locatedoutside of a reader—yet still be operable to communicate information toa magnetic stripe reader. A reader may be provided with an outer wall,for example, with a thickness of a quarter of an inch or more. Emulator521 can provide electromagnetic field 591 over a distance of, forexample, a quarter of an inch or more.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that card 520 may be coupledto a device via a permanent or removable cable. Such a device mayprovide power to card 520 as well as control information—such as controlinformation for emulator 530. An external source of power may beutilized, for example, to provide a larger amount of electrical energyto emulator 521 than from a source of power located within card 520.Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a car having an internalbattery may still be able to receive a cable from a device having itsown source of electrical energy.

Card 530 may be provided with emulator 531 and may electrically couplewith a read-head of magnetic stripe reader 510. Any number of emulatorsmay be provided in card 530 in any number of orientations such that theappropriate electromagnetic field may couple with a read head ofread-head housing 511 regardless of the orientation of card 720 withrespect to read-head 511. More particularly, for example, additionalread-head housings may be provided in magnetic stripe reader 510 atdifferent locations about the reader to electrically couple with aemulators in a number of different configurations. A sticker and/orguide-structures may be provided on a magnetic stripe reader to, forexample, direct a user on how to position his/her card (or other device)for contactless transmission of data (e.g., credit card data) to aread-head housing without using the trough that includes that read-headhousing.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a magnetic stripe readermay include a trough that includes two (or more) read-head housings 511located in approximately the same vertical position on a card-swipingtrough, but at different horizontal locations on opposite walls of thetrough. In doing so, for example, a magnetic stripe may be readregardless of the direction that a card having the magnetic stripe isfacing when the card is swiped. Magnetic emulator 521 may, for example,communicate magnetic fields outside both the front and read surfaces ofa card. Accordingly, a single emulator 521 may, for example, couple witha single read-head regardless of the direction the card was facing whenswiped. In doing so, for example, the costs of readers may be reduced asonly a single read-head may be need to receive information regardless ofthe direction a card is facing when swiped. Accordingly, magneticreaders do not need stickers and/or indicia to show a user the correctorientation to swipe a card through a magnetic stripe reader. An adaptermay be provided that coupled directly to a read-head that allows adevice not operable to fit in a trough to electrically couple with aread-head.

An emulator may be positioned about a surface of a card (or otherdevice), beneath a surface of a device, or centered within a card. Theorientation of a magnetic emulator in a card may provide differentmagnetic fields (e.g., different strength's of magnetic fields) outsidedifferent surfaces of a card. Persons skilled in the art will appreciatethat a magnetic emulator may be printed via PCB printing. A card mayinclude multiple flexible PCB layers and may be laminated to form a cardusing, for example, a hot and/or cold lamination. Portions of anelectronic ink display may also be fabricated on a layer during a PCBprinting process.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a number does not needto, for example, change with time. Information can change, for example,based on manual input (e.g., a button press or combination of buttonpresses). Additionally, a credit card number may be a static displaynumber and may be wholly or partially displayed by a display. Such astatic credit card number may result in the reduction of fraud if, forexample, a personal identification code is required to be entered on amanual input entry system to activate the display. Additionally, fraudassociated with card cloning may be minimized with the use of a magneticemulator activated by the correct entry on a manual input entry system.

Person skilled in the art will also appreciate that a card may be clonedby a thief, for example, when the thief puts a illegitimate credit cardreader before a legitimate credit card reader and disguising theillegitimate credit card reader. Thus, a read-head detector may detect aread-head housing and then, if a second read-head housing is detected onthe same side of the credit card, the reader may transmit information tothe second read-head that signifies that two read-head housings weredetected. In doing so, for example, a bank, or the police, may benotified of the possibility of the presence of a disguised cloningdevice. The information representative of multiple read-heads may beincluded with information that would allow a credit card number to bevalidated. As such, a server may keep track of the number of read-headhousings at each reader and, if more read-head housings are detectedthan expected, the server may contact an administrator (or the police).The server may also cause the credit card transaction to process or mayreject the credit card transaction. If the number of read-head housings(or read-heads) is the number expected by the server, the server canvalidate the payment transaction.

A payment system using dynamic numbers may, for example, be operablewith numbers that are stored outside of the period in which thosenumbers would otherwise be valid. A server may be included, for example,that accepts a dynamic credit card number, information representative ofa past credit card number, and the merchant that is requesting payment.The server may register that merchant for that saved number. The numbermay be decrypted (or otherwise validated) for that past period of time.Accordingly, the credit card transaction may be validated. Additionally,the merchant identification information may be linked to the storeddynamic credit card number for that past period of time. If the serverreceives a transaction from a different merchant with that same dynamiccredit card number for that same period of time, the server may rejectthe transaction. In doing so, a merchant may be protected from havingcredit card numbers stolen from its various storage devices. If a thiefsteals a number from a merchant's server that is associated with a pastperiod of time, that number cannot be used, for example, anywhere else.Furthermore, such a topology may, for example, allow merchants toprovide a one-click shopping, periodic billing, or any other type offeature that may utilize dynamic numbers that are stored and usedoutside of the period in which the dynamic numbers were generated.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that different emulators maybe controlled by different switching circuitry (e.g., differenttransistors).

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that multiple buttons may becoupled together to form a single-bit bus. If any button is pressed, thebus may change states and signal to the processor to utilize differentports to determine what button was pressed. In this manner, buttons maybe coupled to non-triggerable ports of a processor. Each button (or asubset of buttons) may be coupled to one or more triggerable ports of aprocessor. A port on a microprocessor may be utilized to drive anemulator in addition to, for example, receiving information from abutton. For example, once an appropriate personal identification code isreceived by a processor, the processor may utilize one or more portsthat receive information from one or more buttons to drive an emulator(e.g., for a period of time). Alternatively, for example, a magneticemulator may be coupled to its own triggerable or non-triggerableprocessor port. A card may also include a voltage regulator to, forexample, regulate power received from an internal or external source ofpower.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that any type of device maybe utilized to provide dynamic magnetic information on a card to amagnetic stripe reader. As discussed above, a magnetic encoder may beprovided that can change information on a magnetic medium where thechanged information can be detected by a magnetic stripe reader.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the direction of currentthrough magnetic circuit 650 may be changed and controlled in a patternthat is representative of magnetic stripe data. Particularly, aprocessor may, for example, transmit information through a coil bychanging the direction of the electromagnetic field generated fromemulator circuit at particular times. A change in the frequency of fieldreversals may be representative of, for example, a particular bit ofinformation (e.g., “1” or “0”).

FIG. 6 shows card 650 that includes buttons 651-664, light sources691-694, displays 852-853, permanent information 651 and 670, buttons681-684, and hologram 699. A user may be provided with a payment number.Such a payment number may be comprised of permanent data, dynamic data,or a combination of permanent and dynamic data. Dynamic data may beprovided, for example, on display 652. Display 653 may be utilized toprovide a code, which may be dynamic. Such a code may be utilized inauthorize a transaction. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate thatdisplays may display a code, payment number, or any type of data thatchanges based on time or based on use (e.g., utilizes one-time usedata). Similarly, data may be static and may not change. Accordingly,for example, a display may be utilized to display the same data whendesired such that the data may be hidden when the data is not desired tobe displayed. Buttons 651-664, 681-682, and/or 683-684 may be utilizedto signal a processor to display information on display 652, display643, or display 652 and display 653.

A Personal Identification Code (PIC) may be entered to utilize todisplay data, as well as instruct a processor to provide particulardata. For example, a particular PIC may provide one payment number(e.g., a credit card number) while a different PIC may provide adifferent payment number (e.g., a debit card number). A PersonalIdentification Code (PIC) may include a sequence of button presses(e.g., 5 particular button presses). Furthermore, a PIC may be utilizedto unlock a card so that the card may be utilized. For example, buttons681, 682, 683, and 684 may not be utilized by a user until anappropriate PIC has been entered via buttons 651-665. A number may bechanged based on time (e.g., via display 652, display 653, or display652 and display 653). Accordingly, a PIC may be entered such that theparticular number associated with a particular button (e.g., a numberassociated with button 651) for a particular time period (e.g., aparticular day) may be displayed. One PIC may activate display 652 whileanother PIC may activate display 653.

Light source 691 may be an LED or other source of light. Light source691 may display light each time a button associated to light source 691is pressed (e.g., buttons 661-662). Similarly, light source 692 maydisplay light each time a button associated with light source 692 ispressed (e.g., button 681 or 682). Light source 693 may display lighteach time a button associated with light source 693 is pressed (e.g.,light source 693 or 694). Light source 694 may be associated to acomponent and may display light each time that component is activated(e.g., display 653 or 652 is activated). Light sources may emit lighthaving different colors. For example, a processor may determine that aPIC provided to the processor via buttons 661-665 matches a valid PICfor performing an operation. Each button press may cause light source691 to emit light of a first color (e.g., YELLOW). The last button pressto complete the PAC, however, may cause light source 691 to emit adifferent color if the PIC is VALID (e.g., emit GREEN) yet emit anothercolor if the PIC is INVALID (e.g., emit RED). Particular areas of alaminated card may be transparent such that light from a light-sourceilluminates the transparent area.

Button 681 may be associated with a card of a particular country.Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a card may be providedwith a default number. Such a default number may include, for example,permanent data 651 and data displayed on display 652. Accordingly, aparticular PIC may display the default data on display 652.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that other default data maybe provided to other components of a card upon entry of a PIC. Forexample, particular default data (e.g., payment card number anddiscretionary data) may be communicated to a magnetic emulator (ormagnetic encoder) such that the information may be communicated to amagnetic stripe read-head. Similarly, default data (e.g., payment cardnumber and discretionary data) may be communicated to an RFID antenna,an IC chip, or an RFID antenna and an IC chip. Such default data may bedifferent for each component (e.g., magnetic encoder/emulator, RFIDantenna, IC Chip) and may be in different formats (e.g., one track ofpayment data for one magnetic emulator and another track of payment datafor another magnetic emulator).

Button 681 may cause, for example, display 652, display 653, or display652 and 653 to display data associated to button 681. Similarly, dataassociated to button 681 for other components of card 650 (e.g., amagnetic emulator, magnetic encoder, RFID antenna, and IC chip) may becommunicated through those components. Button 681 may be associatedwith, for example a particular territory (e.g., America). Accordingly,for example, information communicated via card 650 may be associatedwith a default country upon entry of a particular PIC until, forexample, a button is pressed associated with a different country. Atthis time, for example, the information communicated by card 650 maychange to the information associated with the particular button pressed.Button 692 may be provided for a country different than, for example, adefault country and a country associated with another button (e.g.,button 681). A card may not be associated with a default country suchthat, for example, a button is pressed to determine the type ofinformation communicated by a card.

Button 683 may be utilized to provide instructions to a processor that agift card is desired to be utilized via card 650. A gift code may beentered (e.g., via buttons 661-665) after button 683 is pressed suchthat a user may, for example, associate a gift card to card 650.Accordingly, card 650 may be utilized to make a gift purchase such thatthe original gift card may be thrown out (or left at home). The codeentered into card 350 may be utilized, for example, to provide aprocessor with a number to transmit via the card (e.g., next time button683 is utilized). Such a number (as well as associated data such asassociated discretionary data) may be communicated by card 650 via oneor more displays, magnetic emulators, magnetic encoders, RFID antennas,and IC chips. A code may alternatively, for example, transmit a flag(e.g., discretionary data) that a gift card is being utilized (e.g.,upon another use of button 683) such that a server may look at a sellerID number and check if there are any gift cards associated to aparticular payment card number for that seller ID number. Accordingly,for example, a user may obtain a gift card (e.g., Target gift card) andmay link that gift card to his/her payment card account (e.g., creditcard account) and may utilize a button (e.g., 683) to send a flag that agift card is desired to be utilized. A code may be entered to provide aparticular flag (e.g., a flag associated with a particular seller).Alternatively, no code may be entered and button 683 may just beutilized to generate a generic flag (e.g., causing a server to check ifthere are any linked gift cards for the account associated with theseller associated with the utilized point-of-sale reader). A user may beprovided with a particular code to be entered when utilize the gift cardat an online store (e.g., Target's online store). The online store may,for example, allow a user to enter his/her payment information (e.g.,credit card number, expiration date, name on card, zip code associatedwith card) and allow the user to select whether a gift card should beutilized associated with that card (e.g., via a radio button or otherwebpage input structure).

Button 684 may be provided. Button 684 may be utilized, for example, tomake an in-store purchase. Button 684 may activate, for example, display652 but not display 653. Code 653 may be utilized, for example, to atleast complete a particular online transaction. In not activatingdisplay 653, for example, a user that is provided with a card during anin-store purchase may not gain access to information displayed ondisplay 653. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate, for example,that the information on display 653 may be transmitted via a component(e.g., emulator) even though the information is not displayed. Moreover,for example, display 652 and 653 may be the same display but that aparticular interface (e.g., button) may display information on differentportions of the display.

Display 654 may be provided to display information to instruct a userthat interaction with button 683 may result in a processor performing aparticular action. For example, display 654 may display the name of agift card such that if a user utilizes button 683, payment informationassociated with the gift card may be communicated from a magneticemulator or encoder. Similarly, display 655 may display informationassociated with a particular action that would occur if, for example, auser utilizes button 684.

FIG. 7 shows card 700. Card 700 may include display 720 and button array710. Button array 710 may be located anywhere on a card. For example,one or more buttons of button array 710 may be located over a magneticemulator without interfering with data communicated from the magneticemulator to a read-head of a magnetic stripe reader.

A button array may more generally be provided as a user interface array.A user interface may, for example, be able to receive manual input froma user. Any number of buttons (or other user interfaces) may be providedin an array. For example, four buttons may be provided. Alternatively,for example, five or six buttons may be provided. The buttons may beprovided in one or more rows or columns. Alternatively, for example, thebuttons may be included in another formation to decrease the distancebetween between the most remote buttons. For example, five buttons maybe provided in the shape of a directional pad. In reducing the distancebetween the most remote buttons in an array configuration, a user may beprovided with a configuration that allows for very fast, and possiblyone-handed, user interaction.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that any card face may belocated on the obverse or reverse of a card. Accordingly, for example, amagnetic emulator/encoder may be provided on any card face. Similarly,any permanent information (e.g., embossed card number) may be providedon any card face. Additionally, for example, persons skilled in the artwill appreciate that a magnetic emulator may be provided inside of acard.

FIG. 8 shows card 800 that may include button array 810. Button array810 may include any number of buttons, or other user interfaces, such asfive buttons. Indicia may be provided on the buttons in order to enhancethe functionality of the buttons. For example, a button may include botha character and multiple digits. In doing so, for example, a user may beable to enter in both numerical and character based codes. Button array810 may be provided in a directional pad configuration. Accordingly, forexample, a card may display on a display information that can bescrolled up and down as well as left and right. Accordingly, adirectional pad configuration may facilitate a user when the userinterfaces with such a display functionality. A directional padconfiguration may also, for example, allow for spaces at the corners ofthe directional pad configuration. Permanent information may be providedin such spaces. For example, one or more digits of number 821 may beprovided in such spaces. Display 822 may also be provided to displayinformation such as, for example, payment card number information.Button array 810 may be located in any area on the obverse or reverseside of a card. For example, button array 810 may be located about thelower right, upper right, lower left, or upper left corner of a card.

FIG. 9 shows card 900 that may include button array 910. Persons skilledin the art will appreciate that each button of a button array may becoupled to different ports of a microprocessor. Such ports may be, forexample, triggerable ports. Additionally, for example, each button ofbutton array 910 may be coupled to intermediary circuitry such as amultiplexer. Button array 910 may be located, for example, in theproximity of the middle of card 900. For example, button array 910 maybe located in the middle, near the bottom of card 900 or in the middle,near the top of card 900. Alternatively, for example, button array 910may be located in the center of card 900.

FIG. 10 shows card 1000 that may include button array 1010 located onthe lower right corner of a surface of card 1000.

FIG. 11 shows card 1100 that may include button array 1100. Button array1100 may include, for example, multiple buttons located in a horizontalconfiguration. By providing buttons in a horizontal configuration, forexample, a user may easily understand any numbering scheme of thebuttons in the array. For example, buttons may be numbered, orcharacters ordered, in ascending order from left to right (for usersthat read left to right) or right to left (for users that read right toleft). Array 1110 may be located anywhere on the front or back of acard. For example, array 1110 may be located on the left-side orright-side of card 1100.

FIG. 12 shows card 1200 that may include button array 1210.

FIG. 13 shows card 1300 that may include button array 1310. Button array1310 may include, for example, any number of buttons in a verticalconfiguration. Indica located on the buttons may be oriented such thatthe indicia is properly read when the buttons are oriented verticallywith respect to the user. Alternatively, for example, indicia located onthe buttons may be oriented horizontally such that a user may rotate acard so that the vertical configuration is perceived as a horizontalconfiguration and the indicia is read horizontally.

FIG. 14 shows card 1400 that may include, for example, button array1410. Button array 1410 may include, for example, two columns ofbuttons. The buttons, liked any of the control interfaces provided, mayinclude indicia such as, for example, numbers, characters, and symbols.Button array 1410 may include an even number of buttons such as, forexample, eight buttons.

FIG. 15 shows card 1500 that may include, for example, button array1510. Button array 1510 may include, for example, two rows of buttons.Button array 1510 may include, for example, an even number of buttons.Button array 1510 may include, for example, ten buttons. Persons skilledin the art will appreciate that additional buttons may be provided on acard outside of a button array. Buttons in a button array may, forexample, be associated with a particular functionality or set offunctionalities (e.g., PIC/PIN entry).

FIG. 16 shows card 1600 that may include button and display portion1610. Portion 1610 may be located on any surface of any card. Button anddisplay portion 1610 may include, for example, display 1612 and button1611. Display 1612 may display particular information every time button1611 is pressed. For example, display 1612 may display a code (e.g.,CVC) every time button 1611 is pressed. Any display, such as display1612 may be, for example, a bi-stable display such that power isutilized to change the state of the display—but is not utilized tomaintain the state of the display. Accordingly, for example, a dynamicsecurity code may be provided such that each time button 1611 ispressed, another security code may be displayed on display 1612. Such asecurity code may be, for example, a one-time security code or,alternatively, a code that is generated based on time. A bi-stabledisplay may utilize power to change the number that is displayed but maynot, for example, utilize power to maintain the display of anyparticular number. Alternatively, for example, a non bi-stable displaymay be utilized. A non bi-stable display may be utilized that utilizespower to maintain the display of indicia.

A card may include, for example, more than one display. A card mayinclude, for example, both bi-stable and non bi-stable displays. Indoing so, for example, a card may properly conserve energy from one ormore on-board batteries. Particularly, a bi-stable display may beprovided on a card that absorbs a large amount of power in order tochange displayed indicia. Accordingly, a non bi-stable display may beprovided on a card that absorbs a small amount of power in order tochange displayed indicia and a small amount of power to maintain thedisplayed indicia. Accordingly, for example, a bi-stable display may beutilized to display information that is desired to be viewed for arelatively long period of time while a non bi-stable display may beutilized to display information that is desired to be viewed for arelatively short period of time. In providing both a bi-stable and a nonbi-stable display, for example, electrical energy absorbed by a card maybe minimized. A security code, for example, may be provided on a nonbi-stable display. A portion of a card number may be provided, forexample, on a bi-stable display. Alternatively, for example, a securitycode may be provided on a bi-stable display and a card number may beprovided on a non bi-stable display. A non bi-stable display may also beadvantageous, for example, when indicia is desired to be frequentlychanged on a display (e.g., once every few seconds).

Display 1612 may, for example, be provided as a non bi-stable displayand may display a code that changes with time. Accordingly, for example,the activation of button 1611 by a user may cause a code to be displayedon display 1612 for a pre-determined period of time (e.g., approximately10 seconds). Accordingly, for example, the number may change accordingto a longer period (e.g., an hour or a day). Accordingly, a user maypress button 1611 multiple times during that period and the same numbermay be displayed on display 1612. A code may comprise, for example,three or four digits. Such a code may be provided magnetically through amagnetic emulator or encoder. Alternatively, a different three or fourdigit code may be provided through a magnetic emulator or encoder. Adisplay may display indicia with two color tones (e.g., black and white)or may display indicia with several color tones.

FIG. 17 shows card 1700 that may include portion 1710. Portion 1710 mayinclude multiple buttons, each associated with a different display.Multiple buttons may be associated with a single display. An associationmay be functional in that interaction with a particular button causes anassociated display to perform a particular function. Code executed by amicroprocessor may, for example, define the association of a button anda display.

Card 1700 may be utilized as, for example, a programmable gift card. Forexample, a store may sell card 1700. A purchaser of the gift card may,for example, give the gift card to a friend or relative. The gift cardmay be associated with, for example, a pre-determined amount of money(e.g., $20, $50, $100, $200, $250, or $500). Alternatively, for example,the amount of the gift card may be determined at purchase by thepurchaser. The recipient of the gift card may, for example, visit awebpage associated with the issuer of the gift card. The recipient may,for example, enter in an identification code that identifies theparticular gift card. The user may then be provided with a number ofstores (e.g., Target, Best Buy, and Walmart). The user may select anynumber of stores and may allocated the total amount of the gift cardamongst the selected stores. The user may then be provided with a code(or several codes). The user may utilize controls (e.g., buttons)located on gift card 1700 to enter this code. The code may, for example,be received by a microprocessor located on card 1700. The microprocessormay utilize the code to identify the stores selected by the user and theassociated gift amount allocations. Accordingly, for example, the giftcard may associate the selected stores with a particular display andbutton. The gift card may automatically display the name of the storeand the amount of each gift allocation on the display once themicroprocessor processes the received code. Accordingly, a user may walkinto a store and select an appropriate button to communicate informationabout the gift card to a card reader (e.g., via an IC chip, RFIDantenna, or magnetic encoder/emulator). Persons skilled in the art willappreciate that a programmable gift card may be provided with a staticmagnetic stripe without a magnetic emulator or encoder. Instead, forexample, the programmable gift card's identification may be sent througha reader and a remote server may determine whether the store associatedwith the reader was selected by the user and allocated a particular giftamount. Alternatively, for example, the card may display andelectrically communicate different information depending on, forexample, the particular gift a user selected on a programmable giftcard.

FIG. 18 shows card 1800. Card 1800 may include portion 1810 that mayinclude permanent information 1811, display 1820, and button 1813.Buttons 1821, 1822, and 1823 may also be included. The activation ofbutton 1813, 1821, 1822, and 1823 may cause different information to bedisplayed on display 1812. Hologram 1832 and logo 1831 may be providedon card 1800. Hologram 1832 and 1831 may be located about the middle ofone of the surfaces of card 1800.

Card 1900 may include, for example, portion 1910. Portion 1910 mayinclude, for example, multiple buttons and light sources. For example,portion 1900 may include a light source (e.g., LED) for every button(e.g., four light sources and four buttons). Alternatively, portion 1900may include a different number of buttons and light sources. Forexample, portion 1900 may include five buttons and four light sources.The light sources may emit light in order to provide the user of card1900 with valuable information. For example, the light sources mayindicate to a user which button or buttons were pressed by a user. Forexample, a user pressing button 1910 may cause both light sources 1921and 1922 to emit light. A user pressing button 1912 may cause all thelight sources within portion 1910 to emit light. Sources of light may beprovided that emit a single color or more than one color.

FIG. 20 shows card 2000 that may include portion 2010. Portion 2010 mayinclude, for example, multiple buttons and a single light source. Forexample, portion 2010 may include buttons 2011-2014 and light source2021. Portion 2010 may include any number of buttons (e.g., five, six,ten, twelve). Light source 2012 may emit light whenever a button ispressed. In doing so, for example, a user may be able to receiveinformation indicative of a proper button press. Light source 2021 mayemit light of two or more colors. For example, light source 2021 mayemit three colors. The three colors may be, for example, GREEN, RED, andORANGE. A button press may cause light source 2021 to emit light of thecolor ORANGE. The input of a proper PIC/PIN may cause light source 2021to emit light of the color GREEN. The input of an improper PIC/PIN maycause light source 2021 to emit light of the color RED.

FIG. 21 shows card 2100 that may include, for example, portion 2110.Portion 2110 may be included, for example, over a magnetic emulatorand/or encoder. For example, portion 2110 may include logo 2111 andhologram 2112. One or more magnetic emulators, for example, may beprovided in card 2100 such that logo 2111 and hologram 2112 may beprovided on, or printed upon, one or both surfaces of card 2100 aboutthe magnetic emulator. In doing so, for example, the area of a cardsurface that a card issuer may personalize may be increased. Personsskilled in the art will appreciate that multiple tracks of data may becommunicated to a magnetic stripe reader via one or more emulators. Forexample, two tracks of data may be communicated by two emulators. As peranother example, three tracks of data may be communicated by threeemulators.

FIG. 22 shows card 2200. Card 2200 may include, for example, printedstripe indicia 2220. Stripe indicia 2220 may be printed on an area overone or more magnetic emulators. Stripe indicia 2220 may be printed suchthat a user recognizes how to properly swipe card 2220 in a reader. Card2200 may also include portion 2210. Portion 2210 may include, forexample, a display and a button. The display of portion 2210 may displaya payment card number when an associated button is pressed or, forexample, when an appropriate PIC/PIN is entered into a card. The displayof portion 2210 may be longer than the length of ⅔rds the length of acard. Display 2220 may also be included and may have a length between ½and ⅓ the length of card 2200.

FIG. 23 shows card 2300. Card 2300 may include, for example, portion2310. Portion 2310 may include, for example, display 2330 and multiplebuttons. Button 2322 may be included. Each button of portion 2310 may beassociated, for example, with different data that can be displayed ondisplay 2330. When a particular button of portion 2310 is pressed,display 2330 may, for example, display indicia representative that auser has pressed that particular button. For example, the activation ofbutton 2322 may cause, for example, indicia 2332 to be displayed inaddition to information associated with button 2322. Accordingly, forexample, a user may not only be acknowledged that a button was pressed,but also the particular button that was pressed. Furthermore, forexample, power may be conserved as both the information associated witha button and the indicia indicative of a button press may be provided bythe same display device. Portion 2310 may include buttons that arealigned along an edge of a display.

FIG. 24 shows card 2400 that may include portion 2410. Portion 2410 mayinclude display 2430 and a multitude of buttons and light sources. Forexample, a light source may be provided for every button located inportion 2410. The activation of a button of portion 2410 may cause, forexample, display 2430 to display particular information associated withthe button activation. Additionally, the activation of button 2411 maycause associated light source 2421 to emit light. Light source 2421 mayemit light for a particular period of time (e.g., less than a second,more than a second, more than five seconds). Light source 2421 mayperiodically emit light to indicate to a user that button 2411 has beenactivated by the user. Logo 2491 may be located on one side of portion2410 and hologram 2492 may be located on the other side of portion 2410.

FIG. 25 shows card 2500 that may include portion 2510. Portion 2510 mayinclude a display having one or more curved edges. Such displays may be,for example, LCD and/or electrochromic displays.

FIG. 26 shows card 2600 that may include portion 2610. Portion 2610 mayinclude, for example, display 2630 and display 2640. A button press may,for example, result in information associated with the function of abutton to be displayed in display 2630. Display 2640 may then beutilized, for example, to show the string of subsequent button presses.For example, a user may utilize button 2611 to indicate that a PIC isdesired to be entered. Indicia 2651 may be displayed to denote that thefunction associated with button 2611 has been activated. Indicia 2641and 2642 may be utilized to show the number of button entries needed tocomplete the function. As buttons are entered such indicia may change toindicia representative of the pressed buttons. After all buttonsassociated with a function have been entered, the function of thebuttons of portion 2610 may be utilized to determine the next function(instead of, for example, information entry). Other functions mayinclude, for example, amount desired for cash-back, amount desired forATM withdrawal, tip percentage, amount to be charged to debit, and theamount to be charged to credit.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a card may, for example,allow a user to enter in how much of a transaction is desired to be paidwith a particular account. For example, a user may divide paymentbetween a checking account and a savings account. Alternatively, forexample, a user may divide payment between two or more credit accounts.Alternatively still, for example, a user may divide payment between acredit account and a debit account.

FIG. 27 shows card 2700 that may include portion 2700. Portion 2700 mayinclude a display that, for example, provides information indicative ofwhether an entered PIN/PIC was correct or incorrect.

FIG. 28 shows card 2800 that may include, for example, display 2810 anddisplay 2820. Display 2810 may, for example, be utilized to display aportion of a card number. Display 2820 may be utilized, for example, todisplay the various states of operation of a card. For example, display2820 may be utilized to ask the user whether the user desires to lock acard.

FIG. 29 shows card 2900 that may include, for example, display 2910 anddisplay 2920. Display 2910 may, for example, be utilized to display aportion of a card number until a card is locked. Display 2920 may beutilized to indicate to a user that a card is locked and requires anappropriate PIC/PIN to unlock the card. A user may lock his/her card atanytime by providing the appropriate manual input to a card. A card maylock after a period of time of non-activity by a user. A card may lockand require an administrative unlock code if, for example, a particularnumber of consecutive incorrect PICs/PINs were entered into a card. Suchan administrative unlock code may be obtained, for example, via a phonecall to the appropriate card issuer or via a visit to a website of theappropriate card issuer.

FIG. 30 shows card 3000 that may include portion 3010. Portion 3010 mayinclude a multiple line display. Card 3000 may also include button 3020.Button 3020 may be, for example, larger than buttons in portion 3010.Such a button may be mechanical and/or capacitive. For example, button3020 may be mechanical while other buttons located on card 3000 arecapacitive. Accordingly, for example, more force may be needed toactivate button 3020 than other buttons. Accordingly, for example, auser may press button 3020 in order to, for example, bring a processorof card 3000 out of hibernation such that a user may enter in a PIC/PIN.Accordingly, for example, card 3000 may automatically expect the entryof a PIN/PIC after activation of button 3020.

FIG. 31 shows card 3100 that may include, for example, a multiple linedisplay where one of the lines of the display may display a portion of apayment card number.

FIG. 32 shows card 3200 that may include, for example, a row of lightsources above a multiple line display. The multiple line display may belocated above, for example, a row of buttons.

FIG. 33 shows card 3300 that may include, for example, portion 3310 thatmay include a multiple line display, buttons, and light sources 3311 and3312. Light sources 3311 and 3312 may be aligned with, for example, aparticular line of a multiple line display.

FIG. 34 shows card 3400 that may include, for example, portion 3410.Portion 3410 may include multiple buttons and light sources. Portion3410 may also include a display with a non-display portion in itscenter. Buttons may be located in such a non-display portion.

FIG. 35 shows card 3500. Card 3500 may include, for example, portion3510 that may include a display (as well as buttons and light sources).A display may be provided, for example, over one or more magneticemulators. For example, a magnetic emulator may be provided on one ormore middle layers of a multiple layer PCB. A display may be provided,for example, on a surface layer of a multiple layer PCB or a differentlayer than the layers defining a magnetic emulator. By providing adisplay over a magnetic emulator, for example, the area that can bepersonalized may be increased. For example, a hologram or logo may beprovided about more than ⅔rds the surface area of a surface of card3500.

FIG. 36 shows card 3600 that may include portion 3610, which may includeany number of buttons. For example, portion 3610 may include fivebuttons positioned in the center of card 3600 in a single row.

FIG. 37 shows card 3700 that may include over 26 buttons such that, forexample, the entire alphabet may be represented by individual buttons.Buttons associated with a particular letter may also, for example, beassociated with one or more numbers. Alternatively, for example,additional buttons may be provided for numbers as well as othercharacters.

FIG. 38 shows card 3800 that may include portion 3810. Portion 3810 mayinclude any number of buttons, light sources, or displays. Any displayprovided may, for example, be a touch-sensitive display. Accordingly,for example, such a touch-sensitive display may display indiciarepresentative of areas of touch. Accordingly, each area of touch may bediscerned as different manual input by a processor coupled to thetouch-sensitive display. A touch-sensitive display may, for example, beprovided as an electrochromic display with electrodes that are coupledto a capacitive sensor. Accordingly, for example, the electrodes maycause indicia to appear on the display in the shape of the electrodes,the capacitance of which may also change as a user's finger approachesthe proximity of the electrode. A display may, for example, include fivecapacitive touch areas for receiving manual input.

FIG. 39 shows card 3900 that may include, for example, button array3910. Button array 3910 may include, for example, two rows of centeredbuttons. Each row may include, for example, three buttons. Light sourcesmay be provided along each edge of a card. For example, light source3920 may be provided along an edge of a card. A card may be laminatedwith transparent laminate.

FIG. 40 shows card 4000 that may include, for example, portion 4010.Portion 4010 may include a row of buttons and light sources and may beprovided over one or more magnetic emulators.

FIG. 41 shows card 4100 that may include portion 4110 at least partiallylocated over one or more magnetic emulators or in line with a magneticstripe read-head should card 4100 be swiped through a magnetic stripereader such that card 4100 may transmit data to a magnetic read-head ofthe magnetic stripe reader through one or more magnetic emulators. Card4100 may include, for example, battery 4120. Battery 4120 may, forexample, span across a surface area of card 4100 that is greater than⅔rds of the surface area of card 4100.

FIG. 42 shows card portion 4200 that may include a display. Varioussymbols may be provided on a display. Such various symbols may also be,for example, printed on a user interface (e.g., a button). Furthermore,the various symbols may be displayed on a display as part of acapacitive touch area.

Indicia 4211-4215 may be provided to signify different card issuers.Indicia 4211-4215 may take the form of corporate logos. Indicia 4221 maybe utilized with a button, for example, to display a card number such asa dynamic card number. Indicia 4221 may take the form of a logo. Abutton may include both a symbol and one or more letters and/or numbers.Indicia 4222 may be utilized with a button, for example, to display thetime. Indicia 4222 may take the form of, for example, a clock. Indicia4223 may be utilized with a button, for example, a code for an onlinepurchase. Indicia 4223 may take the form of, for example, a computer.Indicia 4224 may be utilized with a button, for example, to display theremaining battery power. Indicia 4224 may take the form of, for example,a battery. Indicia 4225 may be utilized by a microprocessor when abattery is low and the card or battery needs replacement. Indicia 4225may take the form of a battery and another symbol (e.g., a recyclingsymbol). Alternatively, for example, indicia 4225 may take the form ofan empty battery.

Indicia 4231 may be utilized with a button, for example, in order tosignal to the microprocessor that a user desires to upload data. Indicia4231 may take the form of, for example, a scanner or light reader.Accordingly, for example, a light sensor located on card 4200 may beutilized to receive light-based information. Indicia 4232 may beutilized with a button, for example, to initiate a game on the card.Indicia 4232 may take the form of, for example, a joystick. Indicia 4233may be utilized with a button, for example, to lock a card (e.g., untilan appropriate PIN/PIC is entered). Indicia 4233 may take the form of,for example, a safe. Indicia 4234 may be utilized with a button, forexample, to add information in discretionary data indicative of a userwarning. Such a warning may take many forms. For example, if a user isheld at gunpoint at an ATM to withdraw money, the user may press a panicbutton on the card and the information may be communicated through thepayment interchange to a server that may identify that a panic buttonwas pressed. Accordingly, for example, the authorities (e.g., police)may be contacted and provided with the location of the reader from whichthe panic information was communicated. Indicia 4234 may take the formof, for example, a panic button.

Indicia 4241 may be utilized with a button, for example, to indicatethat a user desires to withdraw cash. Indicia 4241 may take the form of,for example, money. Indicia 4242 may be utilized with a button, forexample, to indicate the user of card 4200. For example, a card may beutilized by both a husband and a wife. A button may be utilized totoggle between the user such that the appropriate user's PIN/PIC can berecognized. Accordingly, for example, a card may operate differentdepending on the user of the card. For example, a husband may have onespending limit and a wife may have a different spending limit. Indicia4242 may take the form of, for example, a man and a woman. Indicia 4243may be utilized with a button, for example, to indicate that a user isin need of medical attention due to a medical emergency. Accordingly,for example, a card may communicate such information (e.g., viadiscretionary data) via a card reader. Indicia 4243 may take the formof, for example, a medical cross. Indicia 4244 may be utilized with abutton, for example, to play a tone. Such a tone may be a song or a clipfrom a song. Such a tone may also be, for example, an identifyingaudible sound that may be forwarded to a remote server for identityrecognition. Indicia 4244 may take the form of, for example, a musicalnote.

Indicia 4251-4253 may be utilized with a button, for example, to utilizea payment card associated with a particular store. Indicia 4251-4253 maytake the form of, for example, a logo of a store such as a target, ashell, or a cup of coffee. Indicia 4254 may be utilized with a button,for example, to change the volume of a speaker of a card. Indicia 4254may take the form of, for example, a speaker.

Indicia 4261-4264 may be utilized with a button to denote the type ofpurchase that was made. Such information may be communicated withpayment data (e.g., via discretionary data) such that a user's bill maybe organized based on the types of purchases a user indicated at thetime of purchase. Indicia 4261-4264 take the form of, for example, aknife/form (e.g., for food), a car (e.g., for travel), a basketball(e.g., for entertainment), and a hat (e.g., for clothing).

FIG. 43 shows card 4300 that may include portion 4310. Portion 4310 mayinclude a display, for example, with rounded edges. Such a display maybe, for example, in the shape of an oval.

FIG. 44 shows card 4400 that may include portion 4410. Portion 4410 mayinclude a display. Multiple buttons may be located below the display. Abutton may be located on each side of the display.

FIG. 45 shows card 4500 that may include display 4510. Display 4510 mayinclude multiple lines of display. Display 4510 may display symbols.Display 4510 may display indicia representative of the activation of abutton.

FIG. 46 shows card 4600 that may include a display havingtouch-sensitive display areas as well as non-touch sensitive displayareas.

FIG. 47 shows card 4700 that may include any number of components. Forexample, card 4700 may include RFID antenna 4710. Card 4700 may alsoinclude a structure able to communicate dynamic magnetic stripe data(e.g., device 4750). Card 4700 may include IC chip 4730. Card 4700 mayinclude biometric sensor 4720. Biometric sensor 4700 may be, forexample, a fingerprint reader (e.g., a partial fingerprint reader) or aretina scanner. Biometric sensor 4700 may be utilized, for example, tounlock a card (e.g., used in lieu of a PIN/PAC). Light transmitter andreceiver 4740 may be provided in order to transmit and receivelight-based information signals. Card 4700 may include, for example, oneor more batteries as well as a processor and memory. A processor maydirect an IC chip, any number of magnetic emulators or encoders, and anRFID antenna to communicate information. IC chip 4730 may,alternatively, for example, direct an RFID antenna (e.g., a passive oractive RFID antenna) and any number of magnetic emulators or encoder tocommunicate data. A sound receiver and transmitter may be provided inorder for card 4700 to receive information via sound-based signals andsend information via sound-based signals.

Card 4700 may also include, for example, power harvesting circuitry.Power harvesting circuitry may be utilized, for example, to repower abattery or provide charge to a capacitor to control a burst of data froman RFID antenna or one or more magnetic emulators and/or encoders. Powerharvesting circuitry may include, for example, circuitry for harvestingelectromagnetic fields such as fields utilized to power passive RFIDantennas. Power harvesting circuitry may also include, for example, akinetic-to-electrical energy converter that can convert mechanicalenergy to electrical energy. Alternatively, for example harvestingcircuitry may include a thermal-to-electrical energy converter.Alternatively still, for example, harvesting circuitry may include anarray of solar cells.

FIG. 48 shows card 4800. Signature-receivable portion 4810 may beprovided. A display for a code (e.g., three or four digit code) may alsobe provided. Portion 4810 and a display for a code may be, for example,provided on the reverse side of any card.

FIG. 49 shows card 4900 that may include a display to display a middleportion of a payment card number.

FIG. 50 shows card 5001 that may include a button associated with oneaccount and another button associated with another account.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that data may be transferred,such as gift card and/or pre-paid card data, to a card in a variety ofways. For example, a card may be swiped a second time through a magneticstripe reader that includes a magnetic stripe encoder. A coil on thecard may be utilized to receive the information and provide the receivedinformation to a processor. In doing so, information may be loaded intothe card. Similarly, an IC chip may be utilized to receive data as wellas a passive or active RFID. Additionally, one or more microphones maybe included to receive audio information that may be representative ofdata. Accordingly, for example, a user may hold his/her card, or otherdevice, next to a device that is operable to transmit audio via aspeaker (e.g., laptop, stationary computer, or mobile telephonicdevice). The audio information may be discerned by the card and utilizedto load information into the card (e.g., a gift card or pre-paid card.An application may also be loaded that enhances the functionality of thecard. Such an application may include, for example, a user's medicalinformation such that medical information can be displayed via the card(or other device) during a medical emergency. Accordingly, applicationsand/or payment cards may be purchased online and a speaker maycommunicate information to a card. Similarly, the card may include aspeaker for transmitting information such that bi-directionalcommunications are established. A light detector may be provided on acard that may receive light pulses indicative of data. Accordingly, forexample, a user may hold a card up to a display—such as the screen of alaptop, stationary computer, or mobile phone—and information may becommunicated from the display to the card via the light detector.Similarly, a light source may be utilized to communicate informationfrom one device to another. For example, a light source (e.g., LED) maybe utilized to communicate information from one card to another.Similarly, a magnetic stripe reader may include a light source. A cardmay be positioned over the light source such that a light detector ofthe card is aligned with the light source to receive light. Accordingly,the light of a magnetic stripe reader (or other type of reader) may beutilized to communicate information back to a card. A user may utilizeinterfaces on the card (e.g., buttons) to initiate a transfer of datafrom one card to another card or from a device to a card. A variety oftypes of data may be communicated. For example, money may becommunicated from one debit card to another debit card such thatpayments may occur between the cards. Accordingly, for example, the nexttime a card is utilized via a reader (e.g., a magnetic stripe reader)information of the transfer may be communicated to a server forprocessing. Light may be utilized to transfer data from a card to acomputer using, for example, a camera (e.g., webcam) on the computer.Sound may be utilized to transfer data from a card to a computer using,for example, a microphone on the computer.

A display may also be utilized as an interface. For example, a displaymay include a contact and an electronic ink. The electronic ink maychange colors in response to, for example, a particular electricalsignal being supplied to the contact. A capacitive sensor may be coupledto such a contact, however, such that a user interaction with thecontact may be sensed by the capacitive sensor. Accordingly, a card mayinclude a display that can also receive user input. Persons skilled inthe art will appreciate that a display may include multiple contacts.For example, a display may include multiple 7-segment (e.g., to displaydigits) or 11-segment, 14-segment, or 16-segment (e.g., to displayalphanumerics) regions where each segment may be coupled to a capacitivesensor.

A biometric sensor may be placed on a card or other device. Such abiometric sensor may be, for example, a fingerprint reader. Accordingly,one or more fingerprints may be stored in the memory of a card andcompared to scanned fingerprints. Different fingerprints may activatethe card differently (e.g., utilize a different user's payment cardinfo).

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a user's payment cardnumber (e.g., credit card or debit card number) does not have to change.A display may hide this payment card number until an appropriateunlocking code is entered into buttons of the card. Similarly, amagnetic emulator may not be provided current until the proper unlockingcode is entered—thus keeping magnetic information private and notallowing undesirable readers to read a card. A security code may bedisplayed on the same or a different display. A button may be providedrepresentative of an online purchase (or a user may utilize buttons toinstruct the processor that an online purchase is desirable). For suchan online purchase, the credit card number and the security code may bedisplayed—but the magnetic emulator may not be activated. In doing so,the level of security of the card is increased. Furthermore, forexample, a button may be provided representative of in-store purchases(or a user may utilize buttons to instruct the processor that anin-store purchase is desirable). Accordingly, a processor may besignaled that an in-store purchase is desired. A different operation maybe associated with different types of purchases (e.g., online orin-store). Accordingly, for example, magnetic emulators may be activatedfor an in-store environment—but not the displays. Accordingly, forexample, a restaurant cashier may not be able to read the credit cardnumber from the card, but may still be able to swipe the card. If areader is down or a cashier requires reading particular information(e.g., a security code or credit card number information) then controlsmay be utilized to communicate this information. A record of the typesof transactions may be stored and may be communicated in discretionaryfields of data within a transmitted data track. Such record informationmay be utilized, for example, to further increase security and/orintroduce a variety of additional functionality.

Different types of cards may be provided on a card. For example, asecurity ID number and a credit card number may both be provided on thesame card. A button may be utilized to allow a user to provideinstruction to a processor such that the processor can display (e.g.,visually and/or magnetically) the desired information. For example, auser may determine to use one of a variety of payment accounts (e.g.,credit and/or debit) for a purchase. An entire payment number (e.g.,credit or debit) may be changed and/or hidden visually and/ormagnetically. A portion of a payment card number (e.g., credit or debit)may be changed and/or hidden visually and/or magnetically.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a display on the cardmay display a credit card number that does not change with time (ortransaction or button press). Additionally, for example, a magneticemulator (or multiple magnetic emulators) may magnetically communicatefinancial data that does not change with time. Such a card may reduce,for example, the effects of physical card theft and card cloning.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that any numbers of a creditcard number may remain static and/or change either with time or basedoff a transaction (e.g., by sensing a read-head “swipe”). Additionally,any static and/or dynamic numbers may be displayed via a display orprinted on a card. For example, a middle 6 digits of a credit/debit cardnumber may be static and may be displayed on a display. Such a middle 6digits may be displayed, for example, upon the entry of a correct PIC.Similarly, a magnetic emulator may not communicate information until acorrect PIC has been entered by a user. Doing so may, for example,reduce fraud associated with card cloning. Additionally, a receipt maybe provided that includes masked credit card numbers except for the lastfew digits of credit card numbers. Accordingly, displaying a staticmiddle 6 digits of credit card numbers may allow for such a receipt tobe provided while still reducing credit card fraud from hiding numbersthat are not displayed on such a receipt. Any amount of numbers and/orcharacters may be displayed through a display. For example, nineteendigits may be displayed as part of a credit/debit numbers and thesenumbers may also be communicated through one or more magnetic emulationcircuits. The entry of particular PICs may provide different results.For example, a first PIC may only display a string of alphanumericcharacters. A second PIC may only activate a magnetic emulation circuitto transmit information including that string of alphanumeric characters(or a different string). A third PIC may activate a magnetic emulationcircuit and a display. A display and/or magnetic emulation circuit maybe turned OFF, for example, upon entry of an incorrect PIC and/or aftera period of time has passed since the entry of the PIC and/or after thedetection of a particular number of swipes by a read-head detector(e.g., one or two).

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a credit/debit cardnumber (or any other information) may remain static until an eventoccurs and then may become dynamic (e.g., change based on swipes and/ortime). For example, a particular PIC may change from a static to adynamic topology and/or a topology may be changed from static to dynamicafter a pre-determined period of time. Additionally a card and/or devicemay include a wireless receiver and a topology may be changed from astatic to a dynamic topology upon, for example, receiving an appropriatesignal from the wireless receiver. Accordingly, a validation process maychange at a validation server depending upon whether a card is utilizinga static and/or dynamic topology at any given time. Additionally, astatic credit/debit card number may be printed on the face of a card andinformation (e.g., a security code) may be displayed via a display andremain static over time (or with use) or be provided dynamically.

A card or other device (e.g., a mobile telephone) may accept apre-determined number of consecutive incorrect PICs before locking thecard for a period of time or until an appropriate secondary PIC isentered. Accordingly, a user may enter in an incorrect PIC a number oftimes and then, after a card becomes locked, call a support center for asecondary one-time use PIC. A card may cycle through unlocking PICsbased, for example, on time or the number of previous unlock attempts.

FIG. 50 shows personal electronic device 5002 which may be, for example,a portable telephonic device, portable media player, or any type ofelectronic device. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that thefunctionality of a card may be provided on a personal device anddisplayed through a graphical user interface. Personal electronic device2000 may include, for example, user inputs 2040 and display 5010.Virtual card 5020 may be displayed on display 5020. Display 5020 may bea touch-sensitive display such that, for example, virtual button 5030may be provided on virtual card 5020. Persons skilled in the art willappreciate that cards may be provided as virtual cards and a user mayinteract with such virtual cards in order to provide a variety offunctions. Personal electronic device 5002 may communicate to a cardreader such as, for example, an RFID reader.

A display may be bi-stable or non bi-stable. A bi-stable display mayconsume electrical energy to change the information displayed on thebi-stable display but may not consume electrical energy to maintain thedisplay of that information. A non bi-stable display may consumeelectrical energy to both change and maintain information on the nonbi-stable display. A display driving circuit may be provided, forexample, for a bi-stable display (or a non bi-stable display). Such adisplay driving circuit may step-up a supply voltage (e.g., 1-5 volts)to a larger voltage (e.g., 6-15 volts) such that a bi-stable display maychange displayed information. A controller (e.g., a processor) may beutilized to control such a display driving circuit. Persons skilled inthe art will appreciate that a display may be configured to displaynumerical data or alphanumerical data. A display may also be configuredto display other indicia (e.g., the image of a battery and its remaininglife).

A magnetic stripe reader may, for example, determine information on amagnetic stripe by detecting the frequency of changes in magnetic fields(e.g., flux transversals). A particular frequency of flux transversalsmay correlate to, for example, a particular information state (e.g., alogic “1” or a logic “0”). Accordingly, for example, a magnetic emulatormay change the direction of an electromagnetic field at particularfrequencies in order to communicate a different state of information(e.g., a logic “1” or a logic “0”).

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a magnetic emulator mayelectromagnetically communicate information serially by changing themagnitude of an electromagnetic field with respect to time. As such, forexample, a current in a single direction may be provided through amagnetic emulator in order for that magnetic emulator to generate anelectromagnetic field of a single direction and a particular magnitude.The current may then be removed from the magnetic emulator such that,for example, the electromagnetic field is removed. The creation of apresence of an electromagnetic field, and the removal of thatelectromagnetic field, may be utilized to communicate information to,for example, a magnetic stripe reader. A magnetic stripe reader may beconfigured to read, for example, the change in flux versus time and mayassociate an increase in an electromagnetic field (e.g., creation of afield) as one flux transversal and a decrease (e.g., removal of a field)as another transversal. In doing so, for example, driving circuitry (notshown) may be provided which, in turn, controls when current is providedto a magnetic emulator. The timing of magnetic flux transversals, asdetermined by a magnetic stripe reader, may be utilized by that readerto determine whether a logic one (“1”) or logic zero (“0”) wascommunicated. Accordingly, a driving circuit may change the frequency ofwhen current is supplied and removed from a magnetic emulator in orderto communicate a logic one (“1”) or a logic zero (“0”).

A driving circuit may, for example, change the direction of currentsupplied to a magnetic emulator to increase the amount of change in anelectromagnetic field magnitude for a period of time. In doing so, forexample, a magnetic stripe reader may more easily be able to discernoverall changes in an electromagnetic field and, as such, may moreeasily be able to discern information. As such, for example, a drivingcircuit may increase the magnitude of an electromagnetic field byproviding negative current, decrease the amount of negative currentuntil no current is provided and provide an increasing positive currentin order to provide a large swing in the magnitude of an electromagneticfield. Similarly, a driving circuit may switch from providing one amountof negative current (or positive current) to one amount of positivecurrent (or negative current).

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a string of a particularbit of data (e.g., a string of logic zeros “0s”) may be communicatedbefore as well as after information is communicated through a magneticemulator. A magnetic stripe reader may utilize such data, for example,to determine base timing information such that the magnetic stripereader has a timing reference that the reader can utilize to assist indetermining timing changes of perceived flux transversals. Accordingly,for example, a magnetic emulator may send data at different overallfrequencies and a magnetic stripe reader may be able to reconfigureitself to receive data at such overall frequencies. Information may beencoded using, for example, Frequency/Double Frequency (F2F) encodingsuch that magnetic stripe readers may perform, F2F decoding.

A processor may control one or more emulators by, for example,controlling the direction of the current supplied through one or moresegments of an emulator. By changing the direction of current through aregion, for example, the direction of an electromagnetic field may bechanged. Similarly, a processor may control one or more emulators by,for example, controlling the change in magnitude of current suppliedthrough one or more segments of an emulator. As such, for example, aprocessor may increase the magnitude of current as well as decrease themagnitude of current supplied through an emulator. A processor maycontrol the timing of such increases and decreases in current such thata magnetic emulator may, for example, communicate F2F encodedinformation.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a dynamic magneticcommunications device (e.g., a magnetic emulator or magnetic encoder)may be fabricated, either completely or partially, in silicon andprovided as a silicon-based chip. Other circuitry (e.g., drivingcircuitry) may also be fabricated on such a silicon-based chip. Aprocessor, such as a processor for controlling a magnetic communicationsdevice, may be, for example, a programmable processor having on-boardprogrammable non-volatile memory (e.g., FLASH memory), volatile memory(e.g., RAM), as well as a cache. Firmware as well as payment information(e.g., dynamic numbers) may be, for example, communicated from aprogramming device to a processor's on-board programmable non-volatilememory (e.g., a FLASH memory) such that a card may provide a variety offunctionalities. Such a processor may also have one or more power-savingoperating modes, in which each operating mode turns OFF a different setof circuitry to provide different levels of power consumption. One ormore power-savings modes may turn OFF, for example, one or more clockingcircuitry provided on a processor. An Application-Specific IntegratedCircuit (ASIC) may also be included in a card or other device toprovide, for example, processing, dynamic magnetic communications, aswell as driving capabilities.

Persons skilled in the art will also appreciate that the presentinvention is not limited to only the embodiments described. Instead, thepresent invention more generally involves dynamic information. Personsskilled in the art will also appreciate that the apparatus of thepresent invention may be implemented in other ways then those describedherein. All such modifications are within the scope of the presentinvention, which is limited only by the claims that follow.

What is claimed is:
 1. A payment card comprising: a first button; alight source; a magnetic emulator operable to communicate data inserial; an RFID; an IC chip; and a processor operable to control saidmagnetic emulator, said RFID, said IC chip, and said light source. 2.The payment card of claim 1, wherein said light source is operable todisplay light in response to said first button being pressed.
 3. Thepayment card of claim 1, wherein said light source is operable to emit afirst color and a second color.
 4. The payment card of claim 1, furthercomprising: an array of buttons; and a memory, wherein said light sourceis operable to display light if a first sequence of button pressed ofsaid array of buttons matches a second sequence stored in said memory.5. The payment card of claim 1, further comprising an array of buttons,wherein said light source is operable to emit a first color and a secondcolor in response to a plurality of said array of buttons being pressed.6. The payment card of claim 1, further comprising: an array of buttons;and a memory, wherein said light source is operable to emit a firstcolor if a first sequence of button pressed of said array of buttonsmatches a second sequence stored in said memory and emit a first colorif a first sequence of button pressed of said array of buttons does notmatch a second sequence stored in said memory.
 7. The payment card ofclaim 1, further comprising: a second button; and a second light source,wherein said light source is operable to display light in response tosaid first button being pressed and said second light source is operableto display light in response to said second button being pressed.
 8. Thepayment card of claim 1, further comprising: a memory; and anon-bi-stable display, wherein payment data is provided by said magneticemulator and at least a portion of said payment data is displayed onsaid non-bi-stable display.
 9. The payment card of claim 1, furthercomprising a memory.
 10. The payment card of claim 1, furthercomprising: a first surface; and a bi-stable display, wherein at least aportion of a payment card number is printed on said first surface, andsaid bi-stable display is viewable from said first surface.
 11. Thepayment card of claim 1, further comprising: a first surface; and abi-stable display, wherein said bi-stable display is viewable from saidfirst surface.
 12. The payment card of claim 1, further comprising: abi-stable display, wherein said processor is further operable to controlsaid by-stable display.
 13. The payment card of claim 1, furthercomprising: an array of buttons; and a bi-stable display, wherein saidprocessor is further operable to control said by-stable display andaccount information is displayed on said bi-stable display in responseto a plurality of said array of buttons being pressed.
 14. The paymentcard of claim 1, further comprising: a bi-stable display, wherein atleast a portion of a payment card number is displayed on said bi-stabledisplay.
 15. The payment card of claim 1, wherein said light source isproximate to said first button.
 16. The payment card of claim 1, furthercomprising: a second button; and a second light source, wherein saidlight source is proximate to said first button and said second lightsource is proximate to said second button.
 17. The payment card of claim1, further comprising: a bi-stable display, wherein said bi-stabledisplay is proximate to said first button.
 18. The payment card of claim1, further comprising: a first bi-stable display, and a second bi-stabledisplay, wherein said first bi-stable display is proximate to said firstbutton and said second bi-stable display is proximate to second firstbutton.